Hello! Thank you for having me! And BTW - I need some advise with a Phal - Orchid Board

Ida Strauss · #1 02-02-2013, 09:45 AM

Hello Everyone,

May I begin with congratulating you on a WONDERFUL forum that is absolutely packed with information! Thank you for having me!

I'm Ida Strauss from sunny South Africa and a very enthusiastic newby to Orchirds. Got a Phalaenopsis as a birthday present on 1 November 2012 and was immediately absolutely enthralled with it! HOWEVER, and is probably to be expected, despite my best efforts and many, many web searches later, the poor Phal is dying.

Don't know where it came from, but it looked stunning when I got it with quite a few blooms and several buds. It was potted in a plastic pot with holes in the bottom in a bark potting medium and I placed it in a South facing window (the is SA, in the Southern Hemisphere). Shortly afterwards, we had our first heatwave of the season - reaching 102 degrees Farenheit. It looked like it was suffering (as was I!) so I watered it about every 3-4 days. Lo and behold, after about 2 weeks, the buds started dropping. Off to the Internet I went and from what I learned, I reckened mayby too much water. So I started watering it once a week (every 7 days). But things just got worse: Soon all the flowers started dropping as well. I started feeding it with a high nitrogen fertilizer (30:10:10), as I reasoned that it may as well grow more roots, since its not going to bloom anymore.

I purchased another Phal myself, and this one is doing just fine I think!!) Same position, same watering regime (once a week) and it has been blooming since end Nov 2012 to just about a week ago, when it, too, started dropping its blooms (only on one side, however, one stalk complete bare after just a few days; the other still absolutely lovely and in full bloom).

The suffering Phal then started to push a new leaf and I was very happy. However, shortly afterwards, the bottom leafs started to turn yellow and die. After losing 4 leafs this way in a couple of weeks, and more Intenet research, I desided to re-pot the little Phal. To my absolute shock and dismay, I found that the poor plant has no roots left! All rotten and dead! It was potted in bark, so no moss that could have caused this. I have it out in the open now, no potting medium at all and I have sprayed it with Fungicide and also applied some liquid Hormone root stimulant to, what appears to be, a new root. I plan to water it every day, since there is no potting medium around it.

My questions now are: Can this little plant be saved, with no roots, but 4 leaves and a new leaf sprouting??? Or should I just chuck it in the bin and concentrate on the new one?

Second questions: Should I repot the other Phal that still has one stalk in full bloom, as I am not sure what it is planted in (there is bark, but you never know what else they may have in it), since it has now also dropped quite a lot of blooms quickly on the one side - albeit after about 6 weeks of blooming. The other stalk is still going strong and lovely.

Some general information: Our average summer temperature in Pretoria, SA is about 90 degrees Farenheid, but we have had quite a few heatwaves this season with temperatures up around 102 degrees. Humidity varies between 40% to 80% from time to time. I mist the Orchards in the mornings and feed the flowering one with a 6:20:30 water soluble fertilizer with every watering (once a week).

Any thoughts?

Thanks in ancticipation!!

Regards
Ida

Cym Ladye · #2 02-02-2013, 01:44 PM

Ida, welcome to OB.

First, go to the sticky at the top of this beginner forum titled "The Phal Abuse Ends Here". There are answers there to almost every problem occurred in Phals.

I would also like to steer you to the search icon on the Menu bar and bring down the search box. Type in Phal or Phal culture. There were 398 threads last I looked!

Cym Ladye

terracotta7 · #3 02-02-2013, 03:07 PM

Welcome to Orchid Board, Ida. I agree with above. I am a newcomer to orchids myself, but I know that many of the questions that I have asked many others have also. The Search feature will help you see the many responses that experienced growers have given to us newbies.

I am learning all the time myself. I hope that you can save your orchids. Remember that each day you will learn something new and if you keep a little diary you will never (or almost never) make the same mistakes. Soon you will be reblooming those orchids with the best of them.

Keep us posted on how you do with your orchids and I hope to "see you around" on the forum.
Kathy

WhiteRabbit · #4 02-02-2013, 06:23 PM

Glad you found us!

Ordphien · #5 02-02-2013, 07:19 PM

Welcome!
They can be saved but it takes time and work, and lots of patience (what orchid doesn't) and honestly my success rate is about 50%.
But it's always fun to try...

In a situation like this pictures are really helpful.

I always repot my phals as soon as I get them home blooms or not.
Most of the time out result in little if any bud dropping.
But sometimes the phals abandon their spike all together.
I find if I don't repot right away I'll lose the plants instead of the flowers...

And in regards to watering... Try the skewer method!
Stick a wooden or bamboo skewer in the middle of pot and leave it there. When you think it's time to water pull out out and check.
I water my phals when the stick is no longer visibly wet or damp but is still cool against my cheek from the barest hint I'd residual dampness.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Ferns Daddy · #6 02-02-2013, 09:21 PM

Welcome to OB, you can learn alot here and every one likes to help

Stray59 · #7 02-02-2013, 09:38 PM

Welcome to the Board - and we are glad you are here.
It is a pretty wonderful site they have here isn't it? I am glad you saw that right away!
As far as your phalaenopsis, good luck - the travails of a new orchidist! But it is these plants that will help you build your knowledge base and help you help others. It is soooo hard to diagnose over the net, and I agree pics help, but I also understand that sometimes you just have to ask a question without a pic and hope that someone gives the correct advice.
Hope you have a great time here and learn more than you would ever have guessed possible -
Steve

Ida Strauss · #8 02-03-2013, 03:49 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies! Yes, I am still working through all the threads - boy, there are a LOT of information to process!

Attached, please a few pictures of the pool little Phal. I think that I see a new root emerging there, but I don't like the look of all those black spots. I'll keep using Fungicide and keep that new root (if it is a new root??) exposed.

The white marks on the leaves are from the Fungice spray.

Thanks again for your replies!

Regards
Ida